Amount of cash and cash equivalents restricted as to withdrawal or usage. Cash includes, but is not limited to, currency on hand, demand deposits with banks or financial institutions, and other accounts with general characteristics of demand deposits. Cash equivalents include, but are not limited to, short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Name:	us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Asset Securitizations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Assets from Trusts [Line Items]
Restricted cash included in Cash and cash equivalents	$ 527	$ 606	$ 2,513	$ 514
American Express Lending Trust
Assets from Trusts [Line Items]
Direct and Indirect ownership of variable interests	11,600	13,400
Restricted cash included in Cash and cash equivalents	46	47
American Express Charge Trust
Assets from Trusts [Line Items]
Direct and Indirect ownership of variable interests	4,200	4,300
Restricted cash included in Cash and cash equivalents	$ 0	$ 0